Box Score

Ewing, NJ…The Bears of Ursinus College recorded a 5-2 win over the No. 4 ranked Lions of The College of New Jersey on Thursday at George Ackerman Park in the Lions’ home opener. Ursinus is now 8-3 on the year, while TCNJ drops to 8-4.

TCNJ scored a single run in the bottom of the first and the second innings to jump out to a 2-0 lead before Ursinus tied the game in the top pf the fourth and took the lead in the top half of the fifth, 4-2.

Sophomore David Randolph (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) scored the first run of the game for the Bears on an RBI single by senior Rob Caruso (Wrightstown, NJ/Northern Burlington) and added a two RBI single to right field in the top of the fifth to give his team the go ahead runs. For the game he was 1-3 with two RBI’s and a run scored, while Caruso was 1-4 with an RBI and a double.

TCNJ’s junior centerfielder Dave Mebs (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) went 2-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, while junior short stop Jeff Toth (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville) drove in a run and added a stolen base in the loss. Senior third baseman Matt Zonies (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) started a ninth inning rally with his two out double to center field and helped the Lions set the table as they would load the bases and not be able to score as Toth reached on a fielders’ choice that ended the game. Zonies was 3-4 with a stolen base on the day.

TCNJ’s junior pitcher Brad Kittle (Millville, NJ/Millville) took the loss after six innings of work and is now 1-2. He gave up four earned runs off five hits and struck out two in the match-up. Junior Matt Barrett (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) worked two scoreless innings of relied with a pair of strikeouts, while senior Bill Opel (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) worked the ninth inning and struck out one in the inning of work with no hits.

Ursinus’s junior Ryan Smith (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) picked up the victory and is now 1-1 after he worked five innings and allowed only one earned run off five hits with no strikeouts and three walks. Senior reliever Clay Miller (Mission Hill, KS/Shawnee Mission East) collected the save with his efforts and gave up two hits in four innings of work with four strikeouts.

TCNJ returns to action on Friday, hosting Haverford College in a 3:00 p.m. non-conference game at George Ackerman Park. Ursinus returns to action on March 24 at Richard Stockton College for a noon doubleheader.